Every Single Shadow
By Starwatcher, for the Summer Writing Prompt Contest! Unfinished, but using prompt 3 Set in an AU where Blister won the War of SandWing Succession. Prologue GO GO GO GO GO. Screams. Tears. RUN RUN RUN RUN. Memories of fear and hope, blurring into each other and becoming distorted fates and thoughts. Black scales in the dark, streaking through a forest. Leaving a trail of trampled underbrush, she runs. But they are quicker. Sandy scales, closing in, swallowing up the black. HELP. Chapter 1 You know something's wrong when you start questioning your sanity. Glade would know. What if this is all a horrid nightmare? News flash- it wasn't. The trip to Camp Lilac Lake was a peaceful one. Well, peaceful outside. However, inside Glade's mind, war was raging. It's not fair. I never asked to come here All my friends are at Camp Diamond Delta. '' ''What if I get home and they've changed? What if I feel left out? "All right, campers! Welcome to our beautiful campus! Please find your cabins and meet back here in one hour!" The MudWing director, Cinnamon, looked pleased with herself. She seemed friendly enough. Not wanting to disappoint the people who would be taking care of her for the next month, Glade went to find the announcement board. The little RainWing scanned the paper, finding her name under Bunk Four, along with- gulp - three other dragons. Taking a deep breath, she looked around and spotted a sign labeled 'Cabins', pointing toward the lake. Glade followed the arrow and kept an eye out for her cabin. Bunk One, Bunk Two, Bunk Three, Bunk... Four. Glade stared at her new home for the next month. It was no different than the others, a simple wooden structure with the number four carved over it. The real problem was the shouting. Glade shuddered. I do NOT want to go in there. Not that she had much of a choice. The RainWing's scales were light blue in worry, but she opened the door and crept in anyways. Chapter 2 "I swear, Para, you don't shut up!" "Well if it bugs you so much, maybe you should've stayed at home!" "That's not fair!" "We can talk about fair when you stop criticizing my every word!" Glade flinched at the yelling pair of dragons in the middle of the cabin. Something happened between these two, and she didn’t want to know what. The two continued to argue, SeaWing and RainWing, while Glade inwardly panicked and thought about what she was going to do when she had to sleep through this. It wasn’t until then that she spotted a small SandWing, claws in her ears, with her head under a blanket. Glade caught her eye. The other dragon made a “Come here” motion with her claws. Glade made her way, sliding against the wall. “I’m Blast,” she whispered, rolling her eyes and gesturing toward the arguing duo. “Welcome to Lilac.” The little RainWing nodded. “I’m Glade.” “Great!” Blast grinned. “That SeaWing is Porpoise. He’s a moon-blasting idiot. And his ‘girlfriend’ over there is Parakeet. She’s.. Um…” Blast hesitated. “Different?” Glade nodded slowly. “Okay, then.” To her surprise, the SandWing laughed. “I like you, Glade.” Glade was rather taken aback. She had never been spoken to nicely by a SandWing before. Too late, Glade remembered the Sand Ritual. Her eyes flashed to the bracelet- the SandWing silver- on every dragon’s arm. And the gem at the center of Blast’s was ruby. A second level SandWing. Oh no I’m going to get in so much trouble she’ll report me oh no oh no is it too late ahhhhhhhhh Glade stuttered over her words. “I’m so - I oh goodn- I didn’t mean to- I forgot- I’m….. I’msosorry.” she gasped. Blast blinked in surprise. “Wha-” Glade bowed, with her own bracelet, this one a RainWing copper adorned with an amethyst, in front. She straightened up, looking in vain for the nod of approval that was supposed to follow. Instead, Blast’s eyes were blazing with cold fury. “Never,” she hissed, grabbing a terrified Glade by the shoulders and shaking her roughly. “Never do, speak of, or reference that moonlicking ritual around me ever again. You hear me, Glade? Never. “ Glade blinked several times. Should she.. Run? Or…… agree? Which did she….. want? Slightly alarmed, Glade nodded. “Okay. Don’t worry.” Blast smiled. “Thanks.” Glade turned to find the cabin empty. The couple? Pair? Group? had left the two alone. “Here,” Blast motioned. “Let’s unpack your things before we have to report to the Lilac Dock. Glade smiled. Sometimes things aren’t as bad as they seem. Chapter 3 “Alright, campers! Welcome to Camp Lilac Lake!” Glade settled in the crowd of gathering dragonets, Blast at her side. A small stage was set up on the shore by the dock. Cinnamon, the MudWing director, stood on top, calling for order. “What the heck?” someone muttered, treading on Glade’s toes. The RainWing winced. “Sorry.” Glade found herself looking into the eyes of a blue SeaWing, and a quick glance at her armband showed an emerald, a fourth class. “You okay?” the new dragon asked. Her tone was flat, like she didn’t was forcing herself to talk. Realizing the SeaWing was waiting for a response, Glade nodded. “I’m Beam.” the SeaWing added. “Glade.” Beam nodded. The two sat in an increasingly awkward silence until Blast butted in. “Oh, I’m Blast. Nice to meet you, um..” “Beam.” Blast nodded. “Got it. Beam.” The SeaWing took a quick glance at Blast’s bracelet. Her eyes widened. “Oh, I’m sor-” “Don’t.” Blast stopped her. “Don’t do it.” Beam sent a wide-eyed glance to Glade. The RainWing shook her head and shrugged. Beam shook her head. “B-but wh-” “Because it’s not fair how they treat you!” Blast burst out. Several dragons turned their heads, bewildered. “Second Tier, Third Tier, Classes 1-6, bracelets and hybrid-relationships, I don’t understand them! All of us have these moonlicking rules and I don’t think it’s fair that just because I was born a different tribe to a different family than you, you need my MOONLICKING APPROVAL!” A small burst of flame shot out of Blast’s nose. Something wild was in her eyes- the look of pure, simple frustration. Glade stood rigid in shock. She hadn’t realized just how important this was to Blast. An orange SkyWing mouthed ‘is she okay?’ Glade nodded at him, and he turned away. The little RainWing threw a wing around Blast’s shoulder. “It’s okay. She won’t do it. Right Beam?” Glade looked at the SeaWing, who nodded, a bewildered and somewhat frightened look on her face. “Alright, campers!” Cinnamon called. “Welcome to Camp Lilac Lake! We’re happy to see so many familiar faces, as well as some new ones! We welcome dragons from all six tribes!” Beside her, Blast cheered. Glade smiled and joined her. Cinnamon began going over the guidelines.. “We will put up the daily announcements on the Camp Bulletin each morning, in the place you all found your bunk assignments. Activities start two hours after sunrise, and end after sundown, most often with a campfire. However, the tearoom is open all day, so feel free to hang out there if you stay up late or wake up early. “You will not be given counselors, but we have an amazing staff that will make sure everyone gets where they need to go. You will hopefully see some of them later. Our only restrictions are that you are kind with the others you meet here, because we want everyone here to feel at home, and that you don’t go too deep into the forest. We don’t want anyone getting lost. “Since we have lost a lot of our daylight already and you need time to get to know your new environment, today will be for socializing. Get to know your surroundings, and meet at the dining hall at sunset!” There was a final cheer from the campers, first quiet, then louder as more and more dragons joined in. Glade noticed that Blast joined in, but also that Beam stayed silent, her tail wrapped around herself. The cheer died down as dragons began to part from the crowd, talking and laughing. Blast turned to Glade, no trace of her former anger. “Well, now what?” Glade shrugged. “Where can we find a map?” she asked. Blast squinted thoughtfully. “I think it’s up front.” Glade looked up. “Do you think it’s on the Camp Bulletin?” she inquired. Blast’s eyes widened. “Oh. Probably.” And they headed off. It was the first of a chain of events that lead to what happened not a week later. Chapter 4 The Camp Bulletin was already crowded with dragons who had the same idea. “Oh. Guess I’m not the only one looking for a map.” Someone walked up behind the pair of bunk-mates. Glade and Blast spun around to find the orange SkyWing from earlier standing in front of them. “Hey. I’m Citrus. Good to meet you.” Glade glanced at Blast, tilting her head to the side as if to ask if the SandWing knew him. Blast shrugged and shook her head. “I’m Glade. Bunk Four.” The SkyWing smiled. “I’m in Bunk Six. We’re only a few cabins away!” Glade grinned, nodding. “Hope I’ll see you around!” Citrus nodded. “Cool!” Glade turned to the board and scanned the map. Beside her, Blast did the same . “What about the tearoom?” the SandWing suggested. Glade nodded and turned away from the board. The two dragonets ducked through the crowd. Finally, they emerged on the other side. “What’s in the tearoom?” Glade asked Blast, turning towards her. Blast tilted her head to the side. “Fruit, usually. Some other foods. And tea. Obviously.” Glade smiled. “Got it.” Blast nodded before glancing at the ground and shouting “Look out!” as Glade fell face-first onto the dusty pathway. “Ow.” she moaned. Blast winced. “Sorry. I didn’t see the rock until it was too late. You okay?” Glade slowly sat up and nodded. “I think s-” The RainWing trailed off. There were shadows in the forest. Moving. Coming right at them- “Ahhhh!” Blast shrieked, just as something shot out from behind a bush. Glade ducked down bracing herself for impact. Any Second Now.' '.... “Ruff! Ruff Arf Ruff!” What? Glade turned to find a wolf cub at her talons, panting happily and wagging his tail. “What is a wolf doing here?” Blast asked shakily. Glade shrugged, dumbfounded. As they were staring at it, the little wolf walked up and leaned it’s head against Glade’s forearm. “I think,” Blast grinned, “You’ve been chosen.” WIP Category:Fanfictions Category:Fanfictions (Incomplete) Category:Fanfictions (Fanon) Category:Content (Starwatcher the RainWing-NightWing) Category:Genre (Mystery)